Thomas and the Best-Kept Station Competition (officially titled 9 songs with narration by Michael Angelis) is an audiobook released in 1993 by EMI on cassette in the UK. It was later rereleased in 1996 by ABC Music and EMI in Australia on cassette and CD. It features every song from Series 3 and Series 4, with a story written by Helen Knowles.
Plot
Thomas is chosen to take the Fat Controller to each station on Sodor for the best-kept station competition, along the way he must deliver a plough to Terence and invite Toby. In the end, the Fat Controller decides to award a certificate to all of the stations.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gordon
- Percy
- Toby
- Annie and Clarabel
- Terence
- Bertie
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Farmer Finney (not named)
- Henrietta (mentioned)
- Mrs. Kyndley (mentioned)
Songs
- Thomas' Anthem
- Gone Fishing
- Really Useful Engine
- That's What Friends are For
- Don't Judge a Book By its Cover
- Toby
- Let's Have a Race
- Rules and Regulations
- The Island Song
Trivia
- "Thomas and the Best-Kept Station Competition" was a fan-given title to distinguish the release as the original title is simply "9 songs with narration by Michael Angelis". The unofficial title comes from the first part of the story.
- The image on the back cover of the Australian CD is from Whistles and Sneezes.
- This is the only time until the Series 19 episode, Wild Water Rescue that Elsbridge is referred to by name.
- This is Farmer Finney's first speaking role in the franchise, although he is not mentioned by name.
- A reference to the Series 1 episode, Thomas Goes Fishing is made.
- The CD version retains the original split the master had to produce the two halves of the cassette release. There is a gradual fade-out and fade-in halfway through whereas the later audiobook release, Surprise Adventures, had the two halves combined for seamless playback.
- The songs featured in this audiobook are regarded as the "early versions" since most of them went on to be redone for their respective music video release. The only song to not be redone for its music video was Gone Fishing.
- This CD was released under the title Thomas the Tank Engine: Songs and Tales in Norway.
- The Norwegian CD cover features a deleted scene from Thomas, Percy and the Dragon.
- For the Norwegian release, all the songs were remade with new musical arrangements, although some parts of the original instrumentals can still be heard. More sound effects were also added.
- The Norwegian release has all the songs, except Rules and Regulations and Really Useful Engine feature a real acoustic guitar track played by Norwegian guitarist Børge Petersen-Øverleir.
Goofs
- Michael Angelis seems to have had a sore throat when recording the narration for this audiobook. When he is talking to Toby as the Fat Controller at the start of the second half, his voice gets noticeably croaky.
- The Norwegian CD credits Michael Angelis as the narrator, despite the actual narrator being Gro Solemdal.
Gallery
UK cassette cover
UK cassette spine and barcode
UK tracklist
UK credits
Australian cassette cover
Australian cassette spine and barcode
Australian cassette credits
Australian cassette tracklist
Australian cassette cover inside
Australian CD booklet front
Australian CD booklet rear
Australian CD credits
Australian CD case insert and spine
Australian CD
Norwegian CD cover